Growing Pains

Mary J. Blige

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 18, 2007)
• Original Release Date: December 18, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B000X3VN5U
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (151 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,251 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
"I'm talkin' 'bout things I know," Mary J. Blige wails on "Work That," the second single and opening track of Growing Pains. The album squeaked into 2007 too late to make best-of lists but otherwise would have stormed its way up several, for sure. She needn't have hit us with such a pronouncement: In 16 songs that ring as remarkably, unflinchingly true as those on 2005's landmark The Breakthrough, the queen of hip-hop soul keeps "keeping it real" a specialty. There's no sense in trying to assign credit for the skin-tight grooves and funked-up retro vibe here; with nine producers padding Blige's emotion-rich voice and the lyrics she so obviously lives by, what we're left with is a melange of sounds. But it's a measure of an artist who has mastered her own identity and left nothing to chance that this, her eighth studio album, comes off so free of wild cards and loose edges. "You ask what love feels like," she sings on "What Love Is," one of the disc's less fierce tracks. "It feels like joy, and it feels like pain, and it feels like sunshine, and it feels like rain," she continues, answering the question. The album feels the same way, a passel of complex feelings all wrapped up in love. No one knows struggle, heartache, and triumph over mediocrity like Blige. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description
Geffen Records superstar and hit-making songwriter Mary J. Blige, is set to follow-up the most successful album of her career, the triple platinum The Breakthrough, with her eighth (8th) studio CD Growing Pains.

Growing Pains includes the single "Just Fine" which has become an instant favorite on radio and on MTV, BET and VH-1. The second single from Growing Pains, "Work That," is currently featured in an Apple I-Pod commercial.

After selling over 40 million CDs and garnering six Grammy Awards during her phenomenal 15-year career, Mary is confident that her fans will not be disappointed with Growing Pains. "They're going to get a sense of what my state of mind is and how I view the world," she says. "And hopefully, most of all, they're going to hear just the sincere honesty and love that I have for them." She adds, "Growing Pains represents accepting that there's pain that goes along with growing and change. No pain, no gain."

Growing Pains, with Mary co-writing most of the songs on the album, features guest appearances by Ludacris and Usher and production by The Neptunes, Jazze Pha, Johnta Austin, Neyo, Stargate, Bryan-Michael Cox, Dre and Vidal, Tricky, Dream, and Sean Garrett.

Mary makes her message loud, clear and seriously funky on the first release "Just Fine" produced by Jazze Pha and Tricky and co-written by Mary and Dream. A celebration of life, "Just Fine" gives you Mary fierce, and as the video shows, glamorous. The song's vibe? "Sometimes it feels like you're having this miserable time, like all 365 days of the year are tough. But then, you get one of those days; maybe when your hair is great, or you're not stuck in traffic; where it's a `just fine' day. At some point," Mary laughs, "You've got have one or two of those."

The party and positivity keeps on keeping on with the rump shaking second single "Work That." Mary comments, "When I meet a woman who doesn't know what to do about her weight or her hair I always say - `whatever it is that you have, make that work for you, Work what you got.'"

After releasing her bestselling anthology Reflections last year, Growing Pains is Mary's first CD of new material since The Breakthrough debuted at #1 in 2005, selling over 700,000 copies its first week -- the best opening week for a solo R&B female artist in SoundScan history. The album's first single, "Be Without You," also made chart history by holding down the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B charts for a record breaking 16 straight weeks; making it the longest-running No. 1 song on the R&B chart in over 40 years. Mary led all artists with eight 2007 Grammy nominations for the landmark album, and she took home honors for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song (both for "Be Without You"), and Best R&B Album. After earning three Grammy Awards, she continued her award show domination by winning nine Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, two BET Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, and a Soul Train Award. The Breakthrough lived up to its name selling over seven million copies worldwide.

More from Mary J. Blige

Reflections—A Retrospective	The Breakthrough	My Life
What's the 411?	No More Drama	Share My World
Mary	Love & Life	The Tour

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Mary !, October 29, 2008

By	Gimme_Jazz (Casablanca, Morocco) - See all my reviews

Studio album number eight from Mary J Blige is beautiful, a little bit sad, a little bit happy, immaculately played and exquisitely sung in that gorgeous voice: a warm and charming collection of songs in the styles with which Blige has become associated - blues, jazz, hip hop, soul.
Sporting a white shift with her strong features in proud profile, Mary J Blige is dressed as the high priestess of self-help for the cover of her latest CD.
Although the Queen of Hip Hop Soul has long since quit drugs, got married and found God, the motivational message she began spreading with 2005's triple-platinum-selling The Breakthrough will still be delivered in ghetto-fabulous style.
"Growing Pains" doesn't break much musical ground, but it is inspiring to hear 38-year-old Blige maturing with such energy and honesty.
The CD is also just a little bit dull.
Some of the ballads drag, but the fiery upbeat anthems designed to empower the "grown woman" will certainly inspire a few smiles and starjumps between laundry loads.
The album, which includes Mary's Top 10 single "Just Fine" features guest appearances from Ludacris and Usher, and production by The Neptunes, Johnta Austin, Ne-yo, Stargate, Bryan-Michael Cox, Dre and Vidal, Tricky, The Dream and Sean Garrett.
Her previous masterpieces that was the becoming of Mary will always come into question because Mary established herself in the Hip Hop/R&B/Soul genre as an artist who had to take the rough with the smooth.
She was an artist that fought a tough and hard winding battle, opened up to her darkest moments and fought with her demons, which made for good music.
Compelling music in fact. And music that can even be deemed 'classic'.
Now Mary has finally found a happy place, an inner pace, her comfort zone.
It's good that her self-empowered confidence is reflected in the music.
"Growing Pains" leaves the listener no uncertainty as to how she feels today.
"You know I love music," she says during the opening bars of "Just Fine". "It makes me move, it makes me wanna have fun!" It's a funky, determined track and the fact that it samples Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" gives it a hugely triumphant feel.
Plus, its upbeat message is given an inspirational twist because of the long, arduous journey that lies behind its protagonist's getting to feeling "Just Fine".
The album definitely has an updated feel complete with good ole contemporary (but mature) R&B with the oldskool sound here and there especially in superb gems like "Hurt Again" (signature Mary), "Feel Like A Woman", "Stay Down", "Work In Progress" (Growing Pains) and "If You Love Me".
Apart from those, the album pretty much hit a couple of blunt corners. Mary has nothing to prove with this album though because everything has already been proved.
Still the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul without a remarkable doubt, Mary is doing 'just fine'.
There's plenty to admire here, not least the musicianship.
But mostly there's that voice - strikingly powerful and unique, utterly flawless.
My highlights : "Work In Progress"(Growing Pains), "Grown Woman" and "Work That".
Have a very pleasant listening experience!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTELY STUNNING, December 24, 2007

By	!hype 2007 "!hype" (San Bernardino, CA) - See all my reviews

Most people love "What's The 411" and "My Life" and they think they are totally classic, and then there's "The Breakthrough" which is a 5 star effort in itself - but here Mary J. Blige surpasses everything she has done - the cut SHAKE DOWN with Usher is so commercial it's sickening which is GREAT it's like the sweetest candy you could ever want - but don't think for a minute she's sold out. NO NO NO - this CD is so deep, so heartfelt, so BLACK, so true, so much full of emotion. Mary J. Blige I think this is her "THRILLER" - this CD is phenomenal from start to finish. Even if you've never heard of her before - you will be infected with these songs - they stay in your mind, soul and heart. This CD is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING - her best effort yet, and how do you surpass "My Life" - she has done it - you will be TOTALLY REWARDED WITH THIS PURCHASE - look out for Mary in 2008 and 2009 - SHE TRULY IS THE UNDISPUTED "QUEEN OF HIP-HOP SOUL" Girl you GO GO GO GO GO!!! Man O Man, Mariah you know you're my heart, and Rickie Lee you are my favorite - but she even revamps some old Emotions samples - THIS CD IS BEYOND BEYOND. Just listen, GUARANTEED!!! Thank you ET for my favorite gift this Christmas. God is alive - Listen to Mary - you'll be a witness!!! It's THAT UNBELIEVABLE - miraculous. Anyone who rated this CD less than 5 stars has not listened to it more than twice, this CD rewards the listener with repeated listens and you see how brilliant this CD is. It's really A NON STOP PARTY. Keep playing this at your Christmas or New Years Party's - you'll see - this grows on your without ANY PAIN. MARY J BLIGE - much respect. This is one of the best CD's I've ever heard - period. Trust me, listen to it a few times - you'll start becoming infected with her "Growing Pains". THIS IS A SLAMMER - all respect to the TRUE QUEEN OF HIP HOP SOUL. God is my witness!! If Mariah is "the voice" - and Rickie Lee is "my heart" - then NO QUESTION Mary J. Blige is QUEEN OF MY SOUL. This CD is too good. YOU WILL NOT REGRET YOU BOUGHT THIS CD EVER.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COME TO ME (PEACE), December 25, 2007

By	Todd A. Jones - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This song is exceptional. The first time I heard it, it took my breathe away. Mary J does her thing on every cd. She is a huge talent and this cd is definitely one of the best!!